China turns blind eye to criticism of its Covid management: Report

According to Voices Against Autocracy, like an ostrich, China is also ignoring the facts and thinks it is the cleverest mode.

China's draconian lockdown measures had invited widespread criticism from around the world. UK's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the protest against the Chinese government is evidence that people are unhappy with their authorities.

"The Chinese government and the international community should take note of the rare protests in China over the weekend," Cleverly said on November 29, 2022, adding, "It's clear that the Chinese people themselves are deeply unhappy with what is going on, about the restrictions imposed upon them by the Chinese government. These are the voices of the Chinese people taking on the government. It would be right if the Chinese government listens to what those people are saying."

On the same day, White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said in a news conference, "Our message to peaceful protests around the world is the same and consistent. People should be allowed the right to assemble and to protest against policies or laws or dictates peacefully. We are watching this closely and we would see where things go. We continue to stand up and support the right of peaceful protest."

On the US President's message to Chinese citizens peacefully opposing Covid lockdowns, Kirby said people should have the freedom to assemble and peacefully oppose any policies, laws, or orders they disagree with.

The White House supports the right of peaceful protest, Kirby added as he reiterated US' support to people in China amid the ongoing protests, according to Voices Against Autocracy.

He said President Joe Biden was staying informed on what was happening inside China. "Nothing has changed about the President's firm belief in the power of democracy and democratic institutions and how important that is. This is a moment to reassert what we believe in when it comes to free assembly and peaceful protest. We have done that and we will continue to do that."

In China, recently, the world witnessed a spike in protest since the Urumqi incident took place.

On November 24, a fire tore through a residential building in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region's capital Urumqi. After the incident, citizens circulated the videos on the internet space, with residents screaming and demanding authorities to open exits. The residents said they were closed under strict Covid-19 restrictions that have been in place for more than 100 days and have caused widespread hardship.

Meanwhile, Rubio and Smith, who are ranking Republican members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, have said: "These protests are not about a public health crisis, but a human rights crisis. The United States must be unwavering in our support for the Chinese people as they bravely call for freedom."

In a separate statement, Senator Ted Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has said the Communist Party of China, since the beginning of the pandemic, has been desperate to cover up the origin, nature and consequences of Covid-19.

"They lied and continue to lie to the world, and as a result, millions of lives were lost and immense suffering was caused. Now their coercive campaign of denial has converged with the systematic human rights atrocities, including their ongoing genocide of the Uighur and other minorities in Xinjiang," Voices Against Autocracy quoted Cruz as saying.

"The people of China are not to blame for the Chinese Communist Party's actions. In fact, many of them were already protesting the CCP's handling of the pandemic, and now those protests have escalated into open criticism of the regime. They are bravely standing up for their rights," Voices Against Autocracy further quoted him as saying. (ANI)